Environmental Group Calls Bison Refuge Closures A 'Vendetta'

Visitors can go on a drive and view wild bison at the National Bison Refuge in Montana.

USFWS Mountain-Prairie
/ Flickr Creative Commons

Public lands facilities around the nation are cutting budgets and staff. But in the Mountain West region, cutbacks at Montana's National Bison Refuge are prompting accusations of a political vendetta by regional U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service managers.

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The National Bison Range is an isolated refuge where you can go for a drive and see wild bison and maybe even black bears. A couple of years ago regional managers at the Interior Department proposed transferring management and funding of the refuge to local tribes and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said no.

This story was produced by the Mountain West News Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, Yellowstone Public Radio in Montana, KUER in Salt Lake City and KRCC and KUNC in Colorado.